Sunbathers forced to dig for sand after seaweed coats Devon beach

Hardy Brits in need of sun dug for sand when a beach became covered in seaweed (Picture: SWNS)

Scores of sunseekers hoping to soak up some rays on a Devon beach were left bemused when they arrived to find it completely coated in a carpet of fluorescent green sludge.

But the unusual amount of seaweed washed up on Preston beach near Torquay didn’t deter bathers – who just dug for the sand.

Patches of green were carved out to make way for towels, chairs and pasty bodies.

The scene stretched for half a mile.

It didn’t bother these determined sun lovers (Picture: SWNS)

A spokesman for Torbay council told the Torquay Herald Express that the beaches were cleaned on a rota but Preston had not been scheduled for a clean-up that day.

‘There is a rota for beach cleaning – usually three beaches each day – and Preston is cleared on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays, depending on the suitability of the tides and how busy the beach is,’ he said.

‘It is widely understood that the tide and the sea will generate this natural occurrence, especially in the summer.

‘Torbay council has a reliable and appropriate system in place for its removal with minimal disruption to beach users.’